For the second meeting, we had the pleasant task of introducing us to one another once more - since we had new members from our partner in The Netherlands as well as a completely new partner organisation from Malta - the College of Arts, Science and Technology in Paola!Apart from this, our main objectives were: - Better understanding of what SEL is and how it works - Gaining an overview of the German school system & vocational education - Playing and understanding The Real Game™ - Preparing our next tasks and the work on the SELVET Toolkit.

The Volkshochschule Göttingen provided us with a great setting and splendid service for studying and exchanging ideas.On the first day we got an overview on the German school system and understood its complexity and how difficult it is for children to change their initial decisions on what kind of education they go for at the age of 10...School teachers from different school types gave a lively insight into their everyday work and how they cope with social and emotional issues in education. For instance an English teacher from the Hainberg-Gymnasium, a UNESCO partnership school presented their numerous activities on top of the regular school tasks, such as visits in Tansania or their UNESCO project weeks. An overview on how various SEL methods are put into practice in Germany and the screening of the movie Freedom Writers closed the day.

On the second day we had a visit from one of the teachers and coaches from the vocational school BBS2 in Göttingen. Again, a model of SEL was being presented. This was put into perspective by an excellent and long overdue presentation on SEL itself by our future host from The Netherlands, René Diekstra. The afternoon was spent examining the methods used by a very promising role-playing game for kids who are facing their decision in vocational education: The Real Game (tm), a set of materials used in schools all over the world for over 20 years now.

On the third day another two projects were presented: Xenos/Fit for Life, available for pupils of the Volkshochschule Göttingen who make a second run on their education, and the immensly popular Lion´s Quest programme by the Lion´s Club organisation of Germany.Some operational tasks and preparations for the next meetings took place in the afternoon before we closed a very successful meeting.

On top of the regular activities, every evening we´ve had wonderful dinners at different venues in Göttingen, and the members of the group came even closer.We all are very much looking forward our next meetings - see you in September in The Hague! :)